Damage
by Little Rae of Light
Summary: "She died without knowing that you'd betrayed her, that you'd betrayed me. And for that, I will never forgive you." Takes place during David Clarke's interview (with Nolan Ross) for Voulez.


"You lied to her, and you lied to me. And you stole her inheritance." David's words pierced Nolan harder than any knife could. The insinuation that he could ever do something that heinous was despicable. He had been nothing but a friend to Amanda but her lies has finally caught up to him. If she had only told him the truth none of this would be happening. Instead he was caught in the middle with no way out.

As a child you're taught that sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never tear you down. That is bullshit. Words have the power to destroy.

"Um," he chuckled nervously. "I gave her all the money that she was owed. What she chose to do with it I–"

David turned away from Nolan to face the reporter. "I obtained her financial records," he explained cutting him off. "When she turned 18 she was to receive hundreds of millions of dollars, but instead she only got $100,000." He turned his attention back towards Nolan. "That's uh, quite a discrepancy, don't you think?" There was nothing but anger and hatred left in his eyes.

"David, please." Nolan pleaded, "This is not the place."

"She died without knowing that you'd betrayed her, that you'd betrayed me. And for that, I will never forgive you." David growled with fury. His hands tightened into fists at his side as if he were clutching a metal bar in each one.

"Mr. Ross, can you address these allegations?" The reporter asked.

Nolan tried to hold his composure despite the panic and hysteria he felt surrounding him. Sweat covered his nervous palms and rolled down the back of his neck as the walls began to close in. The lights striking his body caused his skin to boil under the newfound heat.

Blood rushes to his head causing a temporary paralysis that leaves him frozen. Despite the rise of temperature in his bones, his body is an icicle. A crisp, frosty, hard icicle about to crack off the roof in which it hangs. Winter is over.

His mind is running a mile a minute, unable to stop it for even a moment.

Left, left, left, right, left.

He had backed himself into a corner, both literally and figuratively.

"Mr. Ross?"

Slowly he turned towards the interviewer before his eyes scanned the room as he tried to think of a way out of the situation he currently faced.

The only thought that ran through his mind was _David deserves to know the truth about his daughter._ But at the same time he couldn't betray Emily. What choice did he have?

Nolan exhaled deeply, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "I gave that money to Amanda. I know how this looks and I know it looks bad but–"

"But what? She burned through $500 million without leaving a paper trail?"

The tears that sat in Nolan's watering eyes threatened to fall. "I would never do that to you, or Amanda. I gave her everything you asked just like I promised. The money, the journals, she has everything."

"Has?" The interviewed questioned, her eyebrows raised.

 _Shit._

Nolan had completely forgotten that they were not alone.

And the cameras were still rolling.

"I meant to say had."

David didn't seem convinced, "Who'd you give the money to? I want the truth Nolan."

Nolan raised his hands up in front of his face. _I surrender._

"Okay." He reassured David, although he meant it for himself. _Okay._

"I know you said that you obtained her financial records and saw that she only got $100,000." _This is it, there's no going back now._ "But that's only because the girl you looked into was not your daughter."

"I'm not quite sure I follow." The interviewer's voice interrupted, yet again.

"David, Amanda's alive."

There was sincerity in the blue of Nolan's eyes that David had missed before. It was the calm among the storm that was thrown in the wrong direction.

Nolan took the silence as permission to continue. "She is, I swear to you. I would not lie about something like this. I gave her the money, every bit of it."

"Mr. Ross, you're telling us that the person Victoria Grayson introduced to the world as Amanda Clarke was not actually his daughter?" Nolan nodded in approval. "Then who is?"

A voice came from the back of the room causing all heads to turn. "I am."

Emily smiled softly. Perhaps 'smile' wasn't the right word for it. Her teeth were not visible but there was a faint curve to her lips.

"I'm Amanda Clarke." Her eyes were full of hope and lit with sadness at the same time. For a few moments she stared at him, almost sure that his expression mirrored hers perfectly. Various emotions flooded through the body as the realization came to light.

His eyes finally met hers, "Amanda?"

How had he never realized that the women that stood before him was of his own flesh and blood? This was the same person that Victoria tried to paint as the enemy just days before. She attempted to turn him against his own daughter and he almost succeeded.

For a split second everything stopped and the blood drained from his face.

His mind is about to run through all the 'what ifs' when she answers his question with a smile. Suddenly that was all that mattered. His daughter was here and she was alive.

"Turn off the cameras." His gruff voice demands.

"Mr. Clarke–"

"I said turn them off." David's eyes never tore apart from his daughters. He stood slowly and began to make his was toward her.

"Amanda. It's you." He drew her body close, embracing her securely in his arms. Emily shook slightly, as her emotions took over. Her eyes welled up with tears. She squeezed her eyes shut, taking it all in one breath at a time. A tear finally escaped as it slid down her cheek.

They were finally reunited.


End file.
